Slidable hinge

ABSTRACT

A slidable hinge has a stationary leaf and a sliding leaf being respectively mounted to a base and a cover of a portable electronic device. The stationary leaf has at least two guiding grooves singularly formed substantially perpendicularly therethrough in a curved manner. The sliding leaf has at least two guiding elements slidably mounted respectively in the guiding grooves of the stationary leaf. With the guiding elements sliding along the guiding grooves, the sliding leaf slidably rotates relative to the stationary leaf to a perpendicular angle relative to the stationary leaf. Therefore, the portable electronic device as a whole presents a novel posture for adapting developed functions or programs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hinge, and more particularly to aslidable hinge for a portable electronic device that allows a cover ofthe portable electronic device to move upon and rotate relative to abase to provide more applicability.

2. Description of Related Art

Portable electronic devices such as notebook computers, cellular phonesand the like are commonly used in daily life. Generally, a portableelectronic device comprises a base, a cover and a hinge. The coverusually has a display. The hinge pivotally connects the cover to thebase, and allows the cover to pivot away from the base when theelectronic device is in use.

However, as more and more functions or programs in the portableelectronic device have been developed, said conventional hinges thatpivot the cover in a single axis gradually become inadequate to use. Forexample, the conventional hinge provides no function to make the covertransversely rotate relative to the base. Such that when games areplayed or a movie is displayed, the portable electronic device should berotated to provide a best viewing angle.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a slidablehinge for a portable electronic device to obviate or mitigate theaforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a slidablehinge for a portable electronic device that allows a cover of theportable electronic device to move upon and rotate relative to a base toprovide more applicability.

To achieve the objective, the slidable hinge in accordance with presentinvention comprises a stationary leaf and a sliding leaf being mountedrespectively to the base and the cover.

The stationary leaf has at least two guiding grooves singularly formedsubstantially perpendicularly therethrough in a curved, manner. Thesliding leaf has at least two guiding elements slidably mountedrespectively in the guiding grooves of the stationary leaf. With theguiding elements sliding along the guiding grooves, the sliding leafslidably rotates relative to the stationary leaf a perpendicular anglerelative to the stationary leaf.

Therefore, the portable electronic device as a whole presents a novelposture for adapting developed functions or programs.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a slidable hinge in accordancewith the present invention mounted in a portable electronic device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the slidable hinge in FIG. 1, partiallyshown in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is an operational perspective view of the slidable hinge in FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the slidable hinge in FIG. 2, the electronicdevice shown in phantom lines; and

FIG. 5 is an operational top view of the slidable hinge in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a portable electronic device (20) maybe a cellular phone, or the like and comprises a base (21) and a cover(22). The base (21) has a front end, a rear end, a top surface and arecess (210). The recess (210) is formed on the top surface. The cover(22) is mounted on the base (21) and has a bottom surface.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the slidable hinge (10) in accordancewith present invention comprises a stationary leaf (11), a sliding leaf(12) and a resilient element (13).

The stationary leaf (11) has a top, a bottom, a resilient mount (111), alongitudinal guiding groove (112) and a transverse guiding groove (113).The resilient mount (111) is formed in the stationary leaf (11) and mayhave a fastener mounted therein. The longitudinal guiding groove (112)is curved and formed through the stationary leaf (11) and has a proximalend (1120) and a distal end (1121). The transverse guiding groove (113)is curved and formed through the stationary leaf (11), substantiallyperpendicularly to the longitudinal guiding groove (112) and has aproximal end (1130) and a distal end (1131). A linear separation of theproximal ends (1120)(1130) of the longitudinal and transverse guidinggrooves (112)(113) is equal to a linear separation between the distalends (1121)(1131) of the longitudinal and transverse guiding grooves(112)(113), and the linear separations are perpendicular to each other.

The sliding leaf (12) is mounted slidably on the stationary leaf (11)and has a bottom and two guiding elements (121). The bottom of thesliding leaf (12) is disposed adjacent to the top of the stationary leaf(11). The guiding elements (121) are attached to the bottom of thesliding leaf (12) and are slidably mounted respectively in thelongitudinal and transverse guiding grooves (112)(113).

The resilient element (13) may be a helical torsion spring, is mountedon the bottom of the stationary leaf (11) and has a stationary end (130)and a sliding end (131). The stationary end (130) is connected securelyto the stationary leaf (11), may be mounted securely on the resilientmount (111). The sliding end (131) is connected securely to one of theguiding elements (121) of the sliding leaf (12), thereby providing thesliding leaf (12) with a resilient force to retain the sliding leaf (12)in position.

With further reference to FIG. 4, while in a regular condition, thecover (22) is mounted flush on the base (21) and the guiding elements(121) are disposed in the proximal ends (1120)(1130) of the longitudinaland transverse guiding grooves (112)(113).

With further reference to FIG. 5, when the portable electronic device(20) is opened, the cover (22) can be turned to rotate relative to thebase (21). The guiding elements (121) respectively slide along and movetoward the distal ends (1121)(1131) of the longitudinal and transverseguiding grooves (112)(113). Once the guiding elements (121) have beenstopped by the distal ends (1121)(1131) of the longitudinal andtransverse guiding grooves (112)(113), the cover (22) is perpendicularlypositioned on the base (21) and the portable electronic device (20) as awhole presents a novel posture for adapting developed functions orprograms.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description together withdetails of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosureis illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail especially inmatters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles ofthe invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaningof the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A slidable hinge comprising a stationary leaf having a top; a bottom;a longitudinal guiding groove being curved and formed through thestationary leaf and having a proximal end and a distal end; and atransverse guiding groove being curved and formed through the stationarysubstantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal guiding groove andhaving a proximal end and a distal end; a sliding leaf being mountedslidably on the stationary leaf and having a bottom being disposedadjacent to the top of the stationary leaf; and two guiding elementsbeing attached to the bottom of the sliding leaf and being slidablymounted respectively in the longitudinal and transverse guiding grooves;and a resilient element being mounted on the bottom of the stationaryleaf and having a stationary end being connected securely to thestationary leaf; and a sliding end being connected securely to one ofthe guiding elements of the sliding leaf.
 2. The slidable hinge asclaimed in claim 1, wherein a linear separation is defined between theproximal ends of the longitudinal and transverse guiding grooves; and alinear separation is defined between the distal ends of the longitudinaland transverse guiding grooves and is equal to the separation betweenthe proximal ends of the longitudinal and transverse guiding grooves. 3.The slidable hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary leaffurther has a resilient mount being formed in the stationary leaf; andthe stationary end of the resilient element is mounted securely on theresilient mount.
 4. The slidable hinge as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe resilient element is a helical torsion spring.